Reminiscence
by Dan-Inator
Summary: A family event years into the future brings back memories of the years gone by. Triple-shot; the eldest son, Phineas, and Isabella. Attempted in the format of the movie Vantage Point, details becoming clearer with each point of view.
1. Adrian's Vantage Point

This is the first chapter in a triple-shot of a family event that happens years in the future. Phineas and Isabella are parents of four children, already grown and with families of their own. The couple is now in their 60's. That's all I'm telling now, I don't want to spoil the story. I hope that it doesn't disappoint.

Enjoy.

* * *

Adrian's Point of View

* * *

Adrian admired his father.

To put it simply, he was inspired by his life story. His father grew up an average American kid, went to college, and started his own engineering firm after graduating. Business folklore rumored that he rose up the corporate ladder so fast he scorched the rungs. He spent almost his entire working career in the company that he helped create. Now in his mid-60's, the old man was happily retired, his nest egg swimming in hundreds of millions of dollars.

Adrian's father was a legend, an industrial magnate, and very wealthy. Adrian admitted it; he and his siblings had been borne into wealth. They always had 3 meals a day, a roof over their heads, and hot water whenever they wanted it. They could always count on any type of resources when needed.

They could have easily become spoiled brats. But his father was as tough as nails.

The man could have enrolled his children in the most prestigious and exclusive private schools in the tri-state area. To him, the expensive tuitions were mere pocket change. But he didn't. All four of his kids, from oldest to youngest, were enrolled in public schools. He would rather have them learn slightly watered down material than having them grow up entitled and snobbish. Public school, to the old man, provided the opportunity for his children to connect with all ranges of people. He needed not to worry about them taking the wrong road; he worked with his wife as a team to raise them right.

Adrian's father could have easily bought one of the most opulent mansions in the region. Instead, he purchased an average two-story home in a neighborhood similar to the one he grew up in. One of his employees lived several houses down the street. The man, a Guatemalan engineer, was a friend of the family. On one occasion, Adrian's father visited the man while he was tending to his lawn.

"Hey Phineas, what are you doing around here?" the Guatemalan asked, yelling over the racket of the lawnmower.

"Just dropping by to visit my neighbor. How are you doing, Carlos?" Adrian's father replied. They talked for a while, and Phineas even helped with the weed eater. When the lawn was done, Carlos' next door neighbor arrived home. Being one of those people that normally don't notice their neighbors, this time was the exception. He only saw a Hispanic man pushing a lawnmower into the backyard, and another guy leaning on the front door waiting for him to return. The neighbor thought Phineas was the homeowner.

Genuinely intrigued, the neighbor walked up to Phineas and asked "I see you got yourself a lawn maintenance guy. How much does it cost to hire him for a yard about that size?" He pointed back to his yard.

Phineas leaned over towards the guy, smiling as if he was about to say how cheap the job cost. "Sir, you know if you paid this man what I pay him, your house's property value wouldn't even compensate for it?"

The guy stared back at Phineas, thinking he must be crazy, and walked back to his house. Phineas smiled, and when Carlos returned from the backyard, they continued talking.

That being said, it would be wrong to think that Adrian's father was stingy, or a repressed bitter man. He let his family indulge in the pleasures that his deep pockets could buy. They went dining to the best restaurants every now and then. They went to the best theme parks regularly. However, they had their best kicks when they built their own projects. Adrian's father, having done this since his childhood, helped them extensively.

The old man let his kids have fun and enjoy themselves the same way he enjoyed himself when he grew up. But he had the ability to draw the line between letting them have fun and spoiling them outright. With fun, came responsibility, and all four kids, from Adrian to the littlest, had to do at least one productive thing every day.

His father stressed perfection; he was the type that chided his eldest son to try harder if he came home with all A's and one B. Adrian found it annoying and picky when he was young. He thought his father wore his tie too tight. However, his father was understanding and offered as much help and advice as possible. _Work hard_, he always said. Wrong. It wasn't work hard, it was _work smart_. "You can push on a boulder all day as hard as you can, and it won't even budge" his father once told him. "If you work smart, you might pick up a plank and use it as a crowbar to push it. It will move much easier by using your brains than by just pushing it with brute force." His father's motto was the Bible that Adrian took to heart over the years. _Work smart, keep moving forward._

His father stressed values that were sadly watered down in many a family; _get a good education, always be punctual, have a good work ethic, be disciplined_, _have integrity,_ and so forth. But the most important one he stressed constantly; _be humble_. Adrian admired the self-restraint of his father. He never smoke, drank, or swore, even when he was mad or stressed. He never boasted about the power or money that he had.

Most remarkably, he never argued with his wife in the presence of others. Adrian, in all of his childhood, didn't remember one instance where his parents were angry with each other. They seemed to have it together all of the time. Once he was grown and came to realize this (after having several arguments with _his_ wife), he asked if they ever argued.

His father laughed, replying, "Son, you don't know how feisty your mother gets when she's angry. Of course we argued, many times over the years. But we never let it reflect on you guys; we always tried to solve it behind closed doors, even if it was difficult. It helps a lot. Things get even muddier when the children get caught in the crossfire. It's not good for both the parents and children. So we did that, for your sake."

Adrian's childhood played out inside his head as he remembered more father-son memories. The good, the bad; everything. He realized, now that he had a good house, a prestigious job, a beautiful wife, and children of his own; _my father was right about everything. _He glanced to his side, smiling at the elderly man sitting next to him. They were alone in a boat, fishing smack in the middle of a picturesque lake, pine trees surrounding the shore.

"Got anything yet?" Adrian asked.

"No, no I don't. They usually bite fast with this bait. Guess they found out it was a trap." Phineas smiled and looked at his son. "Adrian, remember that time we first went fishing?"

"How could I? You got mad at me because I didn't look out when I cast the fishing line. I ended up hooking you by the arm."

"Yeah. I was angry, and I yelled at you at first. Then, you saw a little blood on my arm, and got scared. You started crying. You asked me if I was going to die."

Adrian pinched the bridge of his nose. That memory was still vivid. "Yeah, I was scared. It was just that to a kid, their daddy is their Superman. Especially a daddy like you." He squeezed his father's shoulder. "I couldn't bear a world without you. Even now, it would be hard."

Phineas put his hand on top of Adrian's. "Yeah. But it will happen one day. I couldn't bear it being the other way around. The kids are supposed to outlast the parents. You're my son. My flesh." He paused and looked into the distance. He cleared his throat, and let out one sniffle. His tone changed immediately. "Son, we've been fishing out here for hours, and we only caught a measly old boot. How about we call it a day? The family surely cooked something else by now, thinking we went missing."

Adrian agreed, looking at the setting sun. "Allright, let's get to the house."

They rode back to the dock next to a quaint country cottage. The land it was sitting on used to belong to the city. Adrian, being on the Danville City Council, purchased the land from the city at the bargain value it was to be auctioned for. He turned over the land to his father Phineas, who built his mother Linda the cottage that existed today. It was the house of her dreams, and had all the necessary amenities. Of course, the media and the public crucified the Flynn family for the move, labeling it aristocratic, plutocratic, socialistic, and just about anything else with the suffix _–tic _in it. Phineas and Adrian didn't mind the flames though. This was not a vulture purchase; this was for the happiness of Phineas' mother.

Linda lived there for the rest of her life, Phineas adding a spacious home for the house nurse that took care of his mother in her last years. When she died, Phineas knew that the cottage meant a lot to her. He instructed for her to be buried on the property, next to an old oak tree that she loved to sit under.

At any rate, they entered the cottage, now occupied by family of all ages and sizes. "Hey guys, we're back" Adrian announced. "Sorry, we didn't catch anything." The little kids started booing. He just laughed. "What's for dinner? It smells good."

"It's a surprise" said an elderly woman that came out of the kitchen. She was about average in height, petite, and beautiful, even in her golden years. Her hair was, as they say, salt and pepper; her dark auburn hair had hints of white and gray throughout. She walked to Phineas, who automatically put his arm around her. "How did the fishing go, Phin?"

Phineas looked into her eyes, laughing. "We caught a boot. Maybe we could roast that up and give it to the kids?" The kids, who were gathered around their grandparents, started making gross-out faces and noises. They ran back towards their respective parents. Phineas continued, "But it was great Isabella. Me and Adrian needed it."

What was left of the evening was spent on this very special family day. The dinner turned out to be none other than Adrian's favorite platter; his mother's _mole poblano_, with a side of rice and string bean casserole. The siblings, who were now grown and married, talked with their elderly parents about adventures, memories, and the like. The kids roamed the spacious cottage, playing hide and seek and enjoying the freedoms that come with being a child.

To Adrian, this seemed like a cameo of what family dinners were when he was young. He would arrive from school, his mother home already thinking of what to cook. Later, his dad would arrive from work, taking off his trademark flannel coat, right on time as his mother rounded the doorway to the dining room, serving everybody their delicious dinner. They would eat, talk, and relax after a long day, whatever the worries. It was a great way to wind down, and Adrian was grateful to relive those days again, decades later.

Angela, Adrian's youngest sister, broke the magic. "When are we bringing out the cake?"

Phineas looked at the people gathered before him, and ventured outside as the family kept having a good time. Shortly after, he arrived, a big cake in his arms. He walked up to the dinner table and announced, in a rather cheesy voice, "Folks, we are gathered here today…" He allowed himself to laugh before continuing, in a normal tone, "…to celebrate the birthday of my eldest son, and Isabella's eternal mama's boy, Adrian Flynn." He walked up to his son and gave him a hug. "Happy birthday, champ. You mean so much to me." Phineas pulled away, teary-eyed, a single drop running down his aged face.

Adrian was struggling with watery eyes as well. No matter what happened, he would always love his father and mother the same way he did when he was five years old. He was the kind of sappy guy that stilled called his parents "mommy" and "daddy" when addressing them. His younger siblings always teased him about this in jest, but they thought that it was cute. They knew that he really took his family to heart.

As Adrian bit into the cake, and the family crowded around him to rub his face in, he vowed to store this moment in his memory, alongside other beautiful memories, forever. The feeling of cake pressed onto his face, the icing up his nostrils, the giggles and laughter filling the wooden cottage where his grandmother used to live. _I will never forget my 40th__ birthday_, he thought, as he wiped his face clean, hugging his mommy.

* * *

There you have it. I hope that it wasn't too confusing or didn't make sense. I also hope that the personality of the characters match up pretty good. I was kind of worried that Phineas would be portrayed as too harsh. I really tried to portray him as a person that honestly wanted to provide his children with the same joys that he had as a child while also raising them upright individuals. And I tried to squeeze in subtly that he still was the guy that was always up for fun. I don't know if it showed. Please review, I will update soon with Phineas' point of view of the party.


	2. Phineas' Vantage Point

Phineas' Vantage Point

* * *

Phineas' gaze was concentrated on the water of the lake, searching for any ripple that could have been created by a vertebrate animal with gills and fins. He had been fishing with his son since the early afternoon, now it was almost dinnertime. His patience was wearing thin. Not because of Adrian. He would always love his eldest son and give him all the patience in the world. He was impatient because they had caught nothing yet. Wrong. An hour ago, he reeled in a slimy boot. That was it.

Nonetheless, he still enjoyed fishing with his son, because it helped both of them relax and talk to each other. _Men always seem to be like that_, he thought. _We don't instantly start talking to each other; we have to bond over an activity first_. Then the conversation opens. For better or worse, Adrian and Phineas functioned the same way. While fishing, they talked about everything and anything. Adrian talked about his wife and children, memories of his childhood, and about how glad he felt to have a father like Phineas.

Phineas told Adrian his vantage point of everybody's childhood; how it happened, who did what, their best adventures, etcetera. He told Adrian how he met Isabella, when they fell in love, their first date, and the like. Phineas felt compelled to add in how much he loved her, even after 41 years of marriage. It was a retreat for a father and his son; a soothing experience.

So it was, a rare moment of silence between the talk and the laughter, when Phineas found himself staring at the water wishing a stupid fish would just bite. His eyes were fixed on the waves and ripples of the calm lake. His mind was somewhere else.

He remembered a night that happened exactly 40 years ago, as of yesterday. It was still as vivid as the day he lived it. He was 26, barely a year married to his childhood friend and the love of his life. Some weeks beforehand, they had bought the two-story, 3 bedroom home that they were sitting in at the moment, watching television. Phineas knew that he could have easily bought a good-sized mansion, as he was already the manager of his engineering firm that was raking in millions from the start. But he liked the modest and quaint nature of the neighborhood, and decided that if he was to start a family with Isabella, their children would grow up just like he did, so they would genuinely appreciate their good fortune.

Both he and Isabella were determined to raise their children to always be humble and have integrity. There was nothing more hated by the both of them than ungrateful, snobbish children that felt that they deserved the world on whim, instead of merit. The young couple was eager to start a family almost immediately after marriage. Their prayers had been answered; their first child was on the way.

In this fashion, the couple was sitting in the living room, watching a classic movie about the adventures of an alien and a boy. They had probably watched this movie a million times ever since they were children. Nonetheless, they watched the flick again, with the same interest as the first time. Phineas had his arm around Isabella, who already had a noticeable baby bump. They talked about what was going to happen next, guessing the exact moment that the boy and the alien flew in front of the moon in a bike. They mimicked the famous line spoken by the alien, giggling, and were generally just having a good time.

"Stop spoiling the movie, Phin!" Isabella squealed.

"What are you talking about? We've watched this movie a million times." Phineas flicked some popcorn into the air, catching it in his mouth. "Watch out, I got mad skills."

Isabella scoffed in mock sarcasm "Sure you do…" They sat in silence watching the movie some more.

Phineas was the one that broke the silence "This house looks awfully empty." He gazed around. The living room only consisted of the television, accompanying furniture, from Phineas' old apartment, and the couch. Two of the rooms were empty and white. The master bedroom had their bed, a dresser and armoire, and a painting over the bed. It was a portrait of the young couple, done weeks after their wedding.

Isabella responded. "Don't worry Phin, you'll see that the house will fill eventually. Before you know it, there will be more crap than you know what to do with."

Phineas chuckled and nodded. "Yes, you're right. You always are." Isabella grinned triumphantly. He continued, "And…I'm quite sure that our house will fill with children."

Isabella gasped, "Oh God, definitely not." She imagined herself walking down the street with eight children trailing her footsteps. Phineas looked at her with puppy eyes, and she sighed. "Fine, whatever happens, happens."

"I was just kidding, I don't want a dozen children running all over the place. But I want just enough to give us joy for a lifetime. Just enough to fill our house with laughter and happiness. Three kids would be excellent."

Isabella accepted with a smile, "I consider we are a third of the way there, then."

When the movie ended, it was close to midnight. They went to bed, Phineas carrying Isabella to their bed, careful to not to harm the bundle of joy on the way. Once in bed, Phineas kissed his wife goodnight, and put a kiss on her tummy as well. It kicked back.

The lights had already been turned off for about an hour, and Phineas had just fallen into his slumber. He was comfortably asleep, perfectly happy with his life, when he was stirred awake by a soft groan.

He heard a feminine groan again, this time with more pain in it. It was Isabella. She tried to keep her voice from yelling, "Phin, my water broke, I think the baby is on its way."

Phineas was still stupefied by his sudden awakening. He drawled "Honey, can this wait?"

She gave him the laser eyes. "Try telling that to him." She pointed at her belly.

He sighed, defeated. "Okay." Isabella thought that he was going to grab the keys and jump to the car. She started following him. Instead, he turned the other direction, walked into the bathroom, and started to shower. Once done, he spent 5 more minutes in the bathroom shaving carefully. When done, he walked up to Isabella. "I'm ready now. You?"

Isabella was annoyed beyond belief. She hissed, "Just get in the car."

Phineas drove Isabella, who was now experiencing more pain, to the hospital. On the way, the radio played his favorite song at the time. Normally, he would have cranked up the volume. Tonight, he ignored the song. His mind was on the road and Isabella.

When they arrived, she was rushed in and he was shut out of the room. Apparently, shortly after crashing into the emergency room, she had started going into labor. He paced outside the room frantically. If he had been a cartoon, he would have surely dug a trench with his feet. A nurse, noting his nervousness, gave him a cup of warm milk. He drank it, but remained just as frantic as ever.

After several hours, a bloodshot, exhausted Phineas was admitted into the room. The baby was nowhere in sight. He started freaking. His wife was asleep. Before his mind raced to conclusions, the doctor confirmed that the baby was a healthy boy, and that he was being analyzed and taken care of right now by the nurses. Relieved, he sat next to his wife, and fell asleep.

An hour passed, and he awoke to a knock. It had also stirred Isabella. He smiled at her, and went to open the door. The nurse walked in with a small bundle of blankets. She informed him about the baby's weight, records, and other information. The nurse passed the baby, which was sleeping, to Isabella. She took it with the greatest care, as if it would break. She looked up and smiled at Phineas. He laughed and walked over to his new family. The nurse, smiling at the tender sight, left a document on a table in the room before exiting.

Phineas looked at it. It was the baby's information, already filled out, except for the name, which was blank. The last name, Flynn, was already written.

"Izzy, what should we name our son?"

Isabella thought, "I don't know, actually. What do you think?"

"Alexander?"

"No, too common."

"Ricardo?"

"Same."

Phineas thought hard for a while. "I give up, but I would like to name him something that starts with an A."

"Armando?"

"No, but I think you're getting hot."

Isabella blushed, "Phin, I just gave birth. It takes time for me to get back in shape."

Phineas grinned, "No, not that way. I mean you're hot as in your onto something. A Hispanic-sounding name would be wonderful."

Isabella piped, "Anastacio?"

"Not _too_ Hispanic."

"Ad…Adr…" Isabella was trying to think of a name. "Hey, what about Adrian?"

Phineas was about to reject it, but he stopped himself. _It was perfect. _"Yes! Adrian it is." He penned in the name on the blank space of the document. Once finished, he walked to Isabella. "Can I hold the baby?"

Isabella accepted. She cradled the baby as she shifted its weight from her arms to Phineas'. He at first held it clumsily, almost allowing its head to drop back, causing Isabella to instinctively lurch her arms out. Phineas caught himself though, and held his son with more care as he stood up to his full height. He walked with the bundle over to the window. Phineas noticed that it was already morning. Dawn was about to break.

He stood in front of the window, admiring the world as it seemingly turned in slow motion, with only Phineas and Adrian. The sunrise was perfect. He thought of all of those times he woke up early with Ferb to create something new. He thought of the sunrise on that summer solstice, when he decided to travel around the world with his childhood friends. It was the first time Phineas and Isabella had explored Paris together. At the time, he was clueless about love. He had always experienced an overwhelming happiness whenever he was in her presence. But only upon arriving back in Danville at sunset did he finally try to put his finger on what was causing this feeling. Alas, they didn't start dating until they were 16, but Phineas and Isabella saw that summer solstice as the official start of their romantic gravitation towards each other. Who knew that 16 years later, they would be married parents of a newborn son?

His mind then wondered something. He checked the document where he wrote down Adrian's name, searching for the day's date. After fumbling around, he found it.

_Date of Birth: Jun. 21, 2026_.

It was the summer solstice.

Phineas was dumbstruck with the coincidence. He asked Isabella "Hey, do you know what day it is today?"

Isabella replied, "Sunday, right?"

"No, not the day of the week. The date."

"Um…I don't know."

Phineas grinned. "It's the 21st of June."

Isabella's eyes widened in shock, "Oh my God! But it's, it's…"

"…the summer solstice" he finished.

Isabella was just as dumbstruck as Phineas. "Wow! What a coincidence! I mean I…but we…on that day…" Her face was all smile. She was so happy, a tear rolled down her cheek. "That's when we went to Paris."

Phineas walked with the baby over to Isabella and gave her a kiss on her extended hand. She took the back the baby and cradled it with the care only a mother would have. Phineas sat on the bed, next to Isabella, and put his arm around her, planting a kiss on her forehead, another on her lips.

They sat in silence, admiring their sleeping son until he woke up. He was hungry. Luckily the nurse had provided some formula, stashed in a bin next to the bed. Phineas took the opportunity to prepare the careful mixture of powder and water. This was going to be his first time feeding his son. Isabella took the bottle when it was ready, testing the temperature on the back of her palm before putting the bottle up to Adrian's mouth. He latched on and sucked half of the contents before falling asleep again. Smiles and silence again.

Phineas broke the spell. "If our baby had been a girl, what name would we have chosen?"

Isabella responded, with a smile, "Her name would've been Paris."

Phineas came back to reality, out of the memory. He realized that he had spent at least five minutes reminiscing that day, up to the smallest detail. The feeling of that event was still vivid. He could even smell the stuffy clean smell of the hospital. He could still feel the warmth of those blankets, and still picture the sleeping baby within.

He couldn't help smiling. Forty years later, that baby would grow into a charming young man, identical to his father in frame, voice, and confidence. The only differences between the two men were their age and their hair color. Phineas' red hair was now a faded gray. Adrian's hair was as dark as his mother's. Phineas couldn't help but wonder how time had flown. He still pictured the little girl that entered what used to be his backyard, asking her familiar "Whatcha' doin'?" Over fifty years later, their son is a ripe man of forty. Sure, when they were young they palled around with the time machine just to see how things turned out. But it had never occurred to them to travel this far into time, and the result was genuine surprise.

Phineas' thoughts drifted to scattered memories of everything that happened over the years. He wondered what happened with some of those backyard friends. He wondered if he had raised his children right, if he had been too tough on them. He was remembering all the years of friendship and marriage between him and Isabella, amazed that the Fireside Girl he first met as a child would now be his elderly wife. All of the events and memories gone by clouded Phineas' eyes in a moist emotional fog. He felt a knot in his throat from the nostalgia. Feeling the tears seconds away from spilling, he reminded himself, _don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened._

Phineas then found himself smiling, grateful that he had lived a good life, enjoyed it to the fullest, and passed some of that knowledge to the next generation of Flynns. He smiled as he calmly studied the lake. That's when his son, Adrian, asked:

"Got anything yet?"

The wooden cottage filled with the sounds of talk and laughter. The dinner was perfect and delicious. Adrian was having the time of his life. Phineas, at the head of the table where the dinner was taking place, was enjoying himself. He reached his arm out to the gorgeous woman sitting at his side. He held her hand. She smiled back a genuine smile, age reflected by her crow's eyes. Phineas thought they only added to her perfect beauty. "I love you, Isabella."

She held her smile, "I love you too."

Phineas soaked in the sights and sounds of what was taking place before him. It seemed like ages ago when he last experienced such a thing. Ever since their youngest daughter, Angela, moved out after her marriage, family dinners at the Flynn house weren't the same. The couple, now aged, knew that the day would arrive, when inevitably their house once so full would be once again as empty as the day that they had bought it. Isabella was right about one thing though. The years had brought their baggage, in the form of all sorts of stuff, souvenirs of the children that had grown up there.

The grandchildren breathed a second life into the house. Now, the rooms that saw Adrian, Lynette, Julia, and Angela grow up became playrooms for the little tykes that were now Phineas and Isabella's grandchildren. Toys and gizmos were always handy in those rooms for play. The aged couple, being the eternal children that they were, also played with some of the toys together every now and then. He remembered a time they had stayed up late determining who could build the tallest Lego tower. Isabella won.

Anyways, Phineas was glad that he was once again experiencing the memories of those family dinners he had with his children years ago. He always had a fondness of them, partly because he firmly believed in the nuclear family. The other reason was that they were the perfect way to wind down and connect with his family. No matter what happened in everybody's lives, the family dinner established that they had people that cared for them. The family knew that they could be open to each other and talk about anything.

When Angela asked when the cake was going to come, he felt another twinge of nostalgia, remembering that she was always the one to ask what was for dessert. _Ah, memory lane_. The question was his cue to bring the cake in from the kitchen. But he knew he had something else to do first.

Phineas walked into the kitchen and stared at the cake. It was decently big, the blue cursive letters "Happy birthday Adrian" written in the center. He grinned and walked to a vase with roses, a balloon tied to it announcing "Happy birthday." He picked out the freshest rose and walked outside through the kitchen door. It was already night.

He stood outside the doorway for a while, listening to the sounds of the continuing family event. It was priceless. After a sigh, he continued his journey. He walked away from the cottage, making his way through the trees. The darkness was penetrated by the moonlight, shining through the irregular branches above the old man as he continued his walk alone. He stopped under an oak tree, and turned back to the cottage. It was still less than a hundred feet away, but he could no longer hear the sounds emitting from within.

Smiling, Phineas examined the old oak tree before him, and extended his free hand, caressing the rough bark. He turned to the side, and gazed down at a slab of gray granite several feet away from the trunk. He went before it and knelt, the other hand placing the rose on top of the words etched onto it:

Linda Flynn

A loving mother

A friend to all

Phineas caressed the polished stone, a tear running down his smiling face. He talked to the wind. "Mom, how I wish you could see this." He turned his head to the cottage, windows glowing from the lights inside, and sighed. "I miss you so much. If only you could see how beautiful the family is, how charming your grandson is." Another tear. Pause. "I will always love you, and never forget you. You are the best mom that a boy could've asked for. I hope that someday, I will get the chance to rejoin you, and love you eternally." He bowed and planted a kiss on the granite, before standing up and heading back to the cottage. The rose remained, moonlight illuminating it as it lay on the polished stone, a symbol of the enormous love between mother and son.

Phineas wiped his tears off with the back of his hand, regaining his cool composure in the kitchen as he lifted the cake and walked back into the dining room. He hugged his son happy birthday and teared up some more. _This is turning into a cry-fest_, he thought. But the emotion was what made the birthday gathering in a significant place so great. The rest of the night was filled with laughter, talk, and reminiscence of the years gone by.

The event was over by almost midnight. Lynnette, Julia, and Angela were the first to leave with their husbands and children. Adrian remained last, saying his goodbyes to his mommy and daddy before leaving with his family. The cottage was now quiet, the only sounds being those of Phineas and Isabella cleaning the place. Years of birthday parties had refined their cleaning skills to the point of art. They were done in half an hour.

When the place was in order and the lights turned off, Isabella waited in the car while he locked the premises. He soon got in the driver's seat, started the engine and drove back home.

The drive took approximately 45 minutes. Once home, Phineas took off his polo shirt and khaki pants, changing into some gym shorts. Isabella went into the bathroom and came out in a silky nightgown. They lay in bed, with the lights off, cuddled into each other, talking about the day and whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears. Phineas thought it remarkable that after all of their years knowing each other, they could still act so youthful and enjoy the simple romantic stuff with the same fancy as the night they had first started dating. Isabella fell asleep in his arms. He placed a kiss on her sleeping lips and closed his eyes. Before falling asleep he made a mental note; _consider the day seized_.

* * *

Huzzah, there's the second part of the story. I personally liked this chapter, especially the first part. I didn't like the last paragraphs that much though, because I wrote it in a moment that my head was kind of dry with figurative language. The third part is going to be the hardest for me, because it's going to be written from a woman's viewpoint. Maybe I'll get my girlfriend to help me out, haha. At any rate, school is starting, so I won't update for a while. But look out for the last chapter by the end of the month.


	3. Isabella's Vantage Point

I hope that this is convincing, from a woman's viewpoint. There was alot of ground that I felt like it was necessary to cover. Although mentions of the party are few, there are other things that Isabella's point of view covers that I feel paint a complete picture of her relationship with Phineas. Sorry if there is anything that disturbs you. I might need to knock up the rating a notch or two. Haha, that's all.

Enjoy :)

* * *

Isabella's Vantage Point

* * *

Isabella was happy.

Wrong.

She was ecstatic. She was in mother mode, cooking the food that was hands-down Adrian's favorite platter. She tended to the contents of the stove as if her life depended on it, adding every ingredient with care. Her daughters helped her with the chore. The cottage kitchen was bustling with sounds and smells of a dinner like no other.

There were many men that were legends of the 20th century. Einstein, Martin Luther King, Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, the list goes on.

Isabella was arguably married to _the man_ of the 21st century. In his engineering firm, Phineas, along with Ferb and Baljeet, had designed and built a mechanism that could absorb carbon out of the air. The machine was small, and very cheap. Its purpose was simple; the carbon would be collected and disposed of in a small tank, pulling out the excess carbon causing global warming. Almost every home and building in the world had at least one of these machines, installed atop the roof. The results were miraculous; the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere lowered to pre-industrial levels in an amazing 20 years.

Admittedly, major damage had already been done to the environment. Forests had been destroyed and hundreds of species of animals had already gone extinct. But the machine helped restore populations of threatened species. Polar bears, once facing a grim predicament clinging onto remote Arctic islands with little ice, now found themselves once again roaming the new-formed ice sheets, their population climbing. This was the good thing about Phineas' invention, and part of what made him the man of the century.

The bad part of the invention is that with global warming taken care of perpetually, the government no longer felt the need to regulate the environment. They still protected natural habitats, but industry was no longer forced to control what it was putting into the air. Corporations polluted the air with reckless abandon, confident that the harm would be controlled before it caused any damage. The environmental hurdles they faced decades before were removed, and the country was enjoying the return of manufacturing jobs.

Several years later, Phineas invented a follow-up process, by which the stored carbon could be compressed with hydrogen under extreme heat and pressure. The resulting fusion was the start of the New Petroleum Age; where crude oil could be created domestically on tap. Alas, it was expensive, and the oil companies that had a stranglehold on the market were the only people with the chump change to invest in it. They saw Phineas' process as an opportunity to perpetuate their grip on the essential resource, now artificially renewable.

Phineas' pockets swelled with the royalties paid by the oil industry. Isabella was at one point married to one of the richest men in the world. But Phineas was an overgenerous philanthropist, giving away the billions of dollars to charity and medical research as soon as they came in. His continuous funding was crucial to finding the cure to previously incurable ailments. His donations kept orphaned children happy and fed in the tri-state area. Isabella realized that she was part of what in a Renaissance sense, was a patron family. Their donations and funding were akin to what the Medici family did in Renaissance Florence.

Phineas was the man at the helm of it all; the patron and the patriarch. Concerning family matters and decisions, his word was the final one. Isabella figured that after years of leading childhood projects and adventures, Phineas would always wind up in charge. That being said, she didn't really resent it, because she knew that he was the type to consider everybody else's interests before his own. He usually decided for everybody, and had a good idea of everybody's opinions. Sometimes however, he would slip up and ruffle some feathers. True, Phineas was the patriarch, but that didn't mean that Isabella couldn't put her foot down when she wanted to address something.

Isabella remembered Adrian's childhood through her vantage point, taking care of him in his early years, his years in elementary school, his teenage years, and so forth. She remembered when he was four or five years old, and she told him that he would be having a new sister. He was initially upset with the prospect that he would have to share his parents' attention with another child. But she found it remarkable that when Lynette was born and Adrian visited his little sister for the first time, all that was left was unconditional brotherly love.

When his other two sisters were born, he welcomed them and loved them with just as much affection. Isabella thought that she had inherited this trait from Phineas; his ability to approach new things with the same type of openness as ever, no matter how many times new things disappointed.

Isabella remembered her last night of being pregnant with Adrian. She remembered spending the night with Phineas watching the movie E.T. She remembered their conversation about the house and about having more children. She remembered how Phineas said that he would think that three children would be "excellent." But they winded up having four. When she told Phineas a fourth child was on the way, he temporarily lost it. They were in their bedroom, and the kids were already asleep in their rooms.

She started the conversation, "Phin, you remember how you said that you only wanted three kids?" Her tone made it clear that she was trying to walk on eggshells.

"Yes, yes I do" Phineas said, brushing his teeth. One eyebrow was raised, in slight expectation.

"Well…" she continued, "I think that a fourth one is on the way."

Phineas had finished brushing his teeth, but he remained frozen in the bathroom, staring at the mirror. "What?"

"Yeah, I wasn't feeling like myself today, so I took one of those pregnancy tests. It came up positive."

Silence. Then, a jumble of phrases.

"There must've been a mistake…there must have been an error." The stare on Phineas' face was pure shock.

"There's a .0001% chance it was a mistake Phin. We're going to be parents of another baby."

Phineas was surprised to say the least. "But we only planned for three children. We had protection. What went wrong?"

Isabella winced at the question. "Nothing went wrong Phineas; a baby is certainly not a wrong thing." She noticed that her voice got a little louder. "It's not something out of this world that when a married couple does what comes naturally, things will happen. Don't ask me 'what went wrong', you know you are capable of asking things in a different way. Heck, you're making it seem like you don't even want the poor thing."

Phineas walked into the bedroom and responded, injured, "Of course I want another kid. But it's such a surprise. We just aren't ready for another kid, we have so much on our plates right now."

Isabella scoffed, "What do you mean we aren't ready? You own your own prestigious business, we have enough money to put at least a dozen kids through college." She paused for effect. "I have more than enough time, I work at home. Don't decide for everybody. Just because you aren't ready doesn't mean that I'm not ready. Why don't you think you're ready anyways?"

Phineas was silent for a moment. "I don't know. I'm the type of guy that has everything figured out in advance. I've never been good with curveballs."

"Lies. You were so imaginative and creative when we were young. You could always make things work somehow, even when things didn't go according to plan, which, to be honest, was most of the time. It was that charm, that optimism, that spirit, that made me fall in love with you. What happened to you?" Isabella was exasperated.

That's when they both heard a distinct sound. A quick succession of footsteps. Somebody had woken up. That's when 9 year-old Adrian timidly opened the door and looked at his parents, standing in front of each other but now facing him. Worry was spelled on his face.

"What's happening? I heard mommy yelling."

Both Phineas and Isabella were at a loss of words for explaining what just happened. It had been their agreement to keep their children out of their arguments. They stood in silence for a while, until Phineas took the initiative.

"Nothing, son. I was just tickling mommy like this." He poked Isabella in the sides, and she automatically started flinching and giggling, although she was still upset on the inside. She didn't know where he was going with this.

"So she started screaming for me to stop, because she said that she wanted to be careful. She didn't want me to hurt a little baby that she already has in her tummy."

Adrian's eyes widened. "What?"

"Your mommy is going to have a baby."

Adrian absolutely went nuts in ecstasy for about a minute. He hugged his dad and mom, and told them how excited he was to have another sibling. He was hoping that it would be a brother. When he went back to his room, Isabella turned back to Phineas and smiled. "See what I mean by being imaginative? You always have a knack for making things work out, even when they don't go according to plan."

Phineas grinned. "Yeah, I guess I over-reacted. I'm sorry Izzy, it was just such a surprise. But now I'm confident that everything will be just fine." He wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. He took one hand, guiding her chin up to meet his lowered one. They kissed. "I love you so much."

Isabella nuzzled into his neck. She massaged the base of his neck and ran her hands from his neck to his chest. She knew that this relaxed him. "I know your engineering work is tedious and boring at times. I know that when you do the same job years on end, it tends to suck the imagination. But you can't let it conquer your optimism as well. I love you, more than you will ever know." Another kiss. "We're in this ship together. We'll make it work out, I know we will."

Phineas agreed. "I know we will, Izzy."

Once in bed, Isabella and Phineas lay cuddled into each other enjoying each other's presence. Even though they were both silent, the atmosphere said what words couldn't. The air hung heavy with nonverbal communication. Their silence meant that they both loved each other unconditionally, that they were totally devoted to the other, forever and always. Isabella started humming innocently.

"You know what is good about being pregnant?" Her voice had a seductive timbre to it.

"What?" Phineas asked expectantly, putting a hand on her hip. He had noticed her tone.

"Months worth of no periods, if you know where I'm going."

"Izzy, but you're already pregnant. Isn't that supposed to be off limits?"

"It technically doesn't harm the baby, but I see what you mean. Good thing that there are other ways we can relax each other."

Phineas hummed in agreement. "Indeed", he whispered in her ear. His hand went from her hip to her chest. He traced his fingers from her chin to her cleavage, in endless circles. Isabella closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling. She whispered, "Phineas, that feels so good. You're going to make me fall asleep."

He chuckled. "Not the effect I was looking for, but I'm glad that I can relax you in such a simple way." His hand traced down to her cleavage for the millionth time, but suddenly it ventured to the left. He started massaging the area that he was now cupping. "How does that feel?"

"Marvelous." She sighed in pleasure.

Isabella remembered what followed that night with pure happiness. This memory made her bite her lower lip and smile. She was cooking as she held this expression. Her youngest daughter, Angela, noticed.

"What's with the smile? It looks like you're trying to turn somebody on."

"For your information, that somebody will be your dad once he gets home from fishing."

"Aww, gross mom! We don't need to know that!"

Isabella had never been the type to flaunt her love of Phineas all over the place. She was always quiet and reserved, and never this raunchy. But somehow she got a kick out of saying tidbits like that every now and then to her daughters. It could be that she was getting old and didn't really care anymore. But it was more likely the result of the total comfort that was established within the family.

Soon enough father and son returned from their fishing trip, although with no success. After Phineas joked that he would roast a boot for the kids to eat, Isabella went into the kitchen to serve the dinner that was now ready. Phineas followed her.

She smiled and asked sweetly, "Whatcha' doin'?"

"Just admiring the flawless woman that I fell in love with." He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

Isabella giggled and said in a hushed tone, "Phineas, they'll see us. Don't start this; not here, not now."

Phineas had a twinkle in his gaze. For a moment she swore he looked at least ten years younger. "It's just that there's something that I want."

She beamed, and asked coyly, "Whatever could that be?"

He turned her around and stole a kiss before saying, "You."

"Well, I don't mind that." She pulled him into a longer kiss, her hands around his neck, and his around her waist. When she pulled away, she said playfully, "Okay, time to get back to the party mister." She leaned into him and whispered into his ear. "When we get home we can have our own little after-party."

He chuckled. "Fair enough. Let's get back to the birthday."

Isabella took the pot and ladle with the _mole_, and Phineas took the plates. Before he grabbed them though, he made sure to give his wife a playful spank on her way out. She turned around in shock and stared at him, mouth gaping. "Excuse me?"

"I couldn't help myself." He laughed and grabbed the plates, and followed after Isabella.

When the dinner was served, and they ate, Isabella felt a complete sense of being fulfilled. The sounds of the family gathered around the table, eldest son and daughters, as well as in-laws. It was priceless. Sharing the moment with the man of her life only made it that more significant. She grabbed his hand and caressed it. He turned towards her and smiled.

The party went on, the group remembering memories and events that had happened to each of them over the years. The moment was magical. When it ended, Isabella felt a sense of grief, but intense satisfaction. She and Phineas cleaned up the place and left for their home.

When they got there, they undressed and got into their sleeping clothes. Isabella talked to Phineas for a while, laying in bed. "So, what did you think of the party, Phin?"

"It was wonderful, Izzy. Adrian deserved a party like this for his birthday, we haven't thrown him one in years."

"Yeah, he loved it. I could've sworn I saw the little kid inside of him again."

Phineas smiled. "Yeah. We all still have that little kid inside of us, whether we recognize it or not. But I'm glad everybody had fun. I certainly did."

She felt the bed move and dip closer to her. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her closer. His arms wrapped around her, and she let him guide her. She could smell the man that she was cuddled into, a distinct hint of his favorite cologne. This only made her curl into him even more. Phineas talked softly into her ear. "You looked gorgeous today."

She giggled in his embrace. "Thanks. You looked pretty dashing yourself."

He kissed her cheek. "I love you more than all the mountains on Earth."

She replied, "Well, I love you more than all the grains of sand in the deserts."

"I love you more than all the water in the oceans."

"I love you more than all the stars in the night sky."

Phineas chuckled slightly. "Well, my love for you is greater than the national debt."

Isabella paused, then sweetly said, "You win."

Phineas relished in his triumph and kissed her cheek again. They lay in silence, quietly admiring that they could be together so long, and still love each other this much. Isabella still vaguely remembered those days when her childish love went unnoticed by the boy that was the object of her affections. He was now happily married to her, and they both had four grown children. It all seemed like a dream.

She remembered that night when Adrian was born, and recalled how Phineas infamously took his time to shower and get ready. At the time, she didn't comprehend why he would do such a jerk move, and was furious with him. She couldn't stay furious with him though, and she let it go on the trip to the hospital. Isabella still wondered the motive for the preparations.

"Phineas?"

He hummed pleasantly. "Hmm?"

"Remember that night that Adrian was born, how you went and took your time to get ready?"

"Yeah, a little bit. I remember I was done in a flash, more or less."

She scoffed playfully. "You took forever. You even gave yourself the luxury of taking a nice long shave."

He chuckled. "Yes, yes I did. What do you want to know about it?"

Isabella laughed before continuing. "Why in the world did you take such care to get ready? I mean, clean-shaven and everything?"

He paused, and grinned. She could feel his smile on her shoulder. He replied in a matter-of-fact way, "Because my first child _couldn't_ have seen me looking like a grizzled bum. I had to make a good first impression for the little tyke."

She smiled, then laughed out loud. "Wow, I never expected this answer. That made my day."

He laughed. "Well, I'm glad I can brighten you up. It's my goal: to make you laugh at least once a day."

Isabella giggled on the inside. She had heard that tidbit since she was little. It was what she remembered the old couples would always say; _make your husband or wife laugh at least once a day_. They professed that it was the secret that made their marriages last a lifetime. Now that she was in the same situation, she realized that it was true. He always found a way to entertain and please her, and she tried to do the same for him. It was a give and take, a form of showing each other their endless love for each other.

She broke the silence and sweetly asked. "Do you remember what else we're going to do today?"

Phineas nuzzled her. "What do you mean?" She knew that he was playing coy.

She hinted slowly. "Our…after party…"

"Oh…that?" His hand went to her hip. "Well, if you insist."

His hand then did what was a tried-and-true method of relaxing her. It traced from her chin to her cleavage in endless circles. She unwound and closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling. He knew exactly what she wanted.

As the moment wore on, he turned off the lights and let the rest come naturally.

Later, Isabella cuddled into Phineas' embrace, intensely satisfied and very sleepy. She managed to whisper, "I love you so much." Then, she nuzzled into sleep. Phineas' warm kiss on her lips was his reply, as she thought,_ I'm lucky to have a man like him_.

She thought no further, for she only needed a little reminiscence to prove that all along, they were made for each other.

* * *

There you have it. Glad to have finished my first story on here. I hope that you like it. Please review to let me know what you think.

I'll write another story in the near future. I'm thinking of doing it when they're still children, or when they're about 14 or 15. It'll probably be about a two-week vacation. That's about it. I already have quite an amount written, but it still hasn't faced the almighty editing process.

See you soon!


End file.
